Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Source of Love

I'm wondering. Where does love come from? Is it from an outside source, or does it come from within? I can't speak for anyone else. I can only answer for myself. I know that I've been in situations where I've been "closed up". I wouldn't let love in no matter how hard someone tried. I had to be in total control. I was the keeper of the gate, in charge of what comes in and what goes out. So I dare to say that love is a choice that comes from within me...literally.

It's no coincidence that the heart has two openings - an entrance and an exit. The more I fill myself up with love the more there is to give, and perhaps vice versa. The magic of this attitude is that I am not dependant on someone else loving me to feel loved. I create the feeling within myself.

I enjoy so much paying attention to the physical responses I have when I am filling myself up with love, and sharing my love with others. I remember one occasion at The Option Institute. I believe it was the last day of my week spent at the Power Dialogues course. I don't remember the details, but the end result left a huge impact on me. We were all there. The Power Dialogues group was joined by the people who took another course that ran simultaneously that week, Optimal Self-Trust.

We were asked to make a big circle, join hands, and then find someone in the room that we were grateful for. Then we closed our eyes, and for the next few minutes, sent thoughts of gratitude to that person. So there we were, our Option family. (I don't use the word "family" lightly. It's amazing, how by the end of one week at The Option Institute, a group of total strangers could come together in such a close way.) Some of us knew each other. Some of us didn't. That didn't seem to matter. At that moment we were united, without judgment of one another, opening our hearts to each other.

I began to literally feel a force of heat between my hand and the two people's hands on each side of me whose I was holding. I remember thinking that I wanted to let go because it was so hot, but I didn't want to break the bond. It was intense! The amount of love I felt generating in that room is beyond words. I had never experienced anything like that before. It was absolutely incredible!

So, when you're feeling a little low on love, I'd like to suggest to go within. Create the love within yourself. Sometimes I believe it's helpful to fan the love by doing an act of kindness for another, or to express gratitude. Open up, reach out, then smile, and enjoy the magic that love has to offer.